The archived blog of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO).

Jan 31, 2007

Congressman Honors Whistleblower

In case you missed it, yesterday Congressman Rahm Emanuel entered a statement into the Congressional Record honoring former Department of Interior employee Bobby Maxwell for a job well done on holding big oil accountable. Here is an excerpt:

The jury found what Mr. Maxwell and many of us already knew: Kerr-McGee had indeed failed to pay the federal government approximately $7.5 million they owed for oil production from publicly owned coastal waters. I regret that Mr. Maxwell had to lose his job to expose the greed of this company and the failures at MMS, but his story is a positive one. Both he and the federal government will benefit from his diligence and service. Kerr-McGee will have to pay significant penalties as a result of underpayment and false statements in their royalty reports. Additionally, Mr. Maxwell is not alone-three other auditors from MMS have filed whistleblowing cases against companies that the Interior Department blocked them from investigating.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Maxwell and these other dedicated public servants deserve our recognition and gratitude. They have stood up and declared that the public's trust and money both deserve our attention, respect, and protection. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Maxwell and congratulating him on a job well done. Let us follow his example by continuing to put accountability ahead.

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I just saw story on PbS about MMS. and Kerr Mc Gee. He won the case and our government claims there are not fees due then the judge drops the case after the jury find Kerr Mc Gee guilty. Something stinks here. Stick to you guns.

Congress(Representative Emanauel) has honored Bobbie Burton for all his hard work: work as a citizen pursuing a qui tam action. Did he get a penny from the Feds for doing so, no..not so far to be made whole..? But, does America know that Anadarko, a giant Oil Company, who bought out Kerr McGee, is bringing in Vincent and Elkins(the mega Texas law Firm) for an appeal(10th Circuit). As some of you may know that was Enron's attorney(law firm), and it was sued for abbetting fraud in the Enron matter. Check it out on googles, one jaw dropping googles search that is.., & most interesting. Oh, did some forget to mention that is the Firm the AG(DOJ), Alberto G was with. His Texas oufit. How cosy. One more thing, have any of you done a spread sheet correlation on all the money Anadardo has pumped into some PAC coffers. Most interesting. Bobbie Maxwell took the risk. Oh, let me dispose of one other big lie being spread by the ever lying MMS P. R machine. Mr Maxwell will not profit to some tune of 30 %. First of all, all the money first goes to who. THE USA accounts in the DOJ... if sustained on APPEAL.. Then, his attorneys can petition to be made whole.. see that word.. be made "whole".
Did you know that any amounts (qt column) are subject to over 40 % taxes, and other obligations costs, attorney expenses. How come MMS failed to note all that. What is wrong with MMS, why do they keep using its P. R. machine to lie to America.
Make MMS stop its lying, and misleading ways. Or at least put matters out to correct its crusade to mislead America.